I agree...why be scared of a god? -.- sneeze he'll smite ya. Lol or that is how it seemed to me xD

-sneezes- >.>

Anyways, my one friend who is....Pagan? I think? ... ... She told me of the stuff like imps, hell hounds, etc, and some other stuff. but she bluntly puts it... she doesn't practice magic or anything. Because and I quote her "it's scary". :p

I am pretty sure religion used to rely on science didn't it? for the stars, and such.

Breed for the breed, not for the money; the words any REAL breeder would understand.

You must know nothing in order to know all, for all is nothing and nothing is for all.

Imps, faeries and fey, hell hounds, black dogs, all of that stuff comes from legends and folklore. Some Pagans believe in it, some don't. I've never seen a faery, I don't have an opinion on their existence :p Magic itself isn't "scary." Some could say it's mind over matter, so could say it's "manipulation of energy to effect an outcome through thought." I don't believe in the kind of magic that calls for mystical ingredients, crystal balls, etc. Some general things, like bad spirits are repelled by salt or sage, sure I can buy that. But I don't believe in angels or demons, shapeshifters, vampires. Ghosts, yeah, I've seen some weird stuff, and there's some theories, but no proof, such as residual energy, stone tape theory, and I do believe that all creatures posses some kind of life force that may continue to exist after death. It's not a big part of my life though, it wouldn't effect how I live if tomorrow it was proven true or false.

I value science and what I can see with my own eyes. Anything beyond that is a matter of opinion.

That's a good way to see it. Only time I actually did view this "magic" as scary was dating that whatchimicallit guy shoot that's the last time I ever actually stayed home alone during that time LOL. My dog heard it - so I know I wasn't going crazy :p

My nana keeps telling me saying without being scared "In the name of Jesus Christ the Lord, ________ be gone!" or something, that anything attacking you (spirit or animal) will leave you be. :/ I think the "without being scared" part is key haha.

Breed for the breed, not for the money; the words any REAL breeder would understand.

You must know nothing in order to know all, for all is nothing and nothing is for all.

xD haha I have no idea!!! apparently "by the bible" it says all living creatures and spirits good or bad must obey that name, if said without being scared, and being firm on what you say.

Heck, if I see a wasp coming for me I'm killing it x.x not telling it "be gone!" because my mind doesn't go "relax, Jesus's name'll save ya!" I've tried and my mind just goes "shut up and run or kill it already!" LOL! :3

I was going to say... let's say, there's a demon. A religious person turns around and says that line, I don't think the demon would care. Since "god" doesn't control sin, demons are not of god's creation I guess, he couldn't control it, therefore neither should the name o.o

Breed for the breed, not for the money; the words any REAL breeder would understand.

You must know nothing in order to know all, for all is nothing and nothing is for all.

Well of course the Bible says that. I'm sure other holy books say the same things.

I think if saying something like that does work, it would rely more on conviction than the name. Zeus, Jesus, Allah, Odin, I doubt it'd matter. Simply telling a spirit firmly and with conviction that it's not welcome is generally good enough according to most sources I've read. You don't have to invoke a higher power for it to work.

That's what I thought o_O Most things I read and was told, a spirit told "what do you want?" have to answer, and therefore the same as "leave me be!" if there is no weakness, there is no chance for the spirit to win. In that situation, you ARE the higher power lol.

Breed for the breed, not for the money; the words any REAL breeder would understand.

You must know nothing in order to know all, for all is nothing and nothing is for all.

It scares me when people don't question their own beliefs. If I had never bothered to research and think critically about what I believe, the first time someone shouted "evolution" at me, I probably would have broken down in tears and lost all faith. However, through research and critical thinking I am stronger in my faith and much more aware of what I believe and why, without needing to be told by the church.

Whenever I think of Wicca, I think of Buffy the Vampire Slayer...I can't help it! :p

Styggian, that way of thinking is mostly in the past, like the medieval ages. In modern Christianity, we believe that we are born in sin because man is sinful. This doesn't mean we are necessarily condemned to hell right from birth, as was originally the belief in the medieval ages. We believe that our sins, whether we have committed them yet or not, are washed away by Jesus's death on the cross. Before His death, the only way to atone was to follow many regulations laid out in the Old Testament. But Jesus's death changed all that. You've heard the term "sacrificial lamb"? That is what we Christians believe Jesus is. He was sacrificed so we could be saved for all eternity, because God loves us that much . . . IF we choose to believe it and accept it. This is the fundamental belief, the cornerstone of Christian belief.

In short, John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only son.

Sena, my mother went to college with the president of the international division of World Vision. :)

I am a Christian in that I believe in God and the Bible. But I don't like to associate myself with Christians because the religion itself is hypocritical and judgemental. I feel it is important for those who are questioning God based on the actions of organized religion to separate those actions from God. While organized religion may claim to do something because God commanded it etc, that is not true. God is NOT organized religion.

I do feel that it is important for people of all beliefs to question things. You will never learn if you never question. :)

I believe that science and God can peacefull coexist. Yes, I believe in evolution and God. How is that possible? Well, I believe that no one knows how long it took God to make everything or how He did. Who is to say He did not make things by an evolved process? God's time is not our time as we understand it.

So, anyways, that's me and my beliefs. If I have offended anyone (as anything religious can do), I sincerely apologize and I would be willing to talk to anyone about these issues via PM.

I'm Catholic. Personally I believe in a merciful God. As Catholics we believe God reveals himself through nature. Things like animals, mountains, trees, etc. However my biggest disagreement is with the gay thing. Catholics *should* know LGBT people don't choose to be gay/bi/lesbian/transgender but some don't. Many believe that they should remain single and celibate blah blah but yet if being LGBT is natural why is the Church going against itself in that area? But more and more Catholics are becoming aware of this issue and supporting LGBT.

As far as Atheism, being Agnostic, Muslim, etc... I don't think it matters. It's how you act as a person. Being Atheist won't send you to hell. We CANNOT make that judgement.

As far as things like the Big-Bang (the theory itself was thought of by a Catholic priest) and evolution... we are free to believe as long as we believe God is the source.

So yeah that's pretty much it lol.

Who am I? Well I am a Junior Member of the International Betta Congress and a breeder of white HMPKs, red dragon HMPKs, black/red dragon HMPKs, metallic multi HMPKs, blue masked HMPKs, and now multi color HMs. Soon to add black HMs. I will be showing in New Breeder class in fall of 2012.

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